Irrigation plant.



J. L. PRITGHARD. IRRIGATION PLANT. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22, 1912.,

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

swam W01, GWMMM Jaye viz L. fi/"Lfafiard [2/ WWW JOSEPH L. PRITCHARZD,OF OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA.

IRRIGATION PLANT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

Application filed March 22, 1912. Serial No. 685,438.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH L. PRITCHARD, acitizen of the United States, residing at Oklahoma city, in the countyof Oklahoma and State of Oklahoma, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Irrigation Plants, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention provides means of irrigation for distributing water insprays or jets from above instead of leading the same through ditches ortrenches, thereby moistening the body of the plants as well as theroots.

In carrying out the invention a plurality of pipes are supported adistance above the ground and are supplied with spray nozzles, eachnozzle being provided with a cutoff so that any one or more of thenozzles may be closed when for one reason or another it is not desiredto have the same discharge water.

The invention contemplates posts or like supports located at properintervals in the ground to be irrigated. Cables are supported upon theupper ends of the posts. Water pipes are connected to the posts and aresuspended from the cables by means of struts or hangers. Branch pipeshave connection with the main lead pipes and the several pipes aresupplied with spray nozzles, the latter being attached to short pipeswhich are connected to the main pipes, each of the short pipes having acock to admit of cutting off the supply of water to the spray nozzle.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of constructionand combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularlyset forth, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, whichis a perspective view of an irrigating system or plant embodying theinvention.

The plot of ground to be irrigated is supplied with posts 1, which areset in openings formed therein. Cables 2 are attached to the upper endsof the posts. These cables extend longitudinally and transversely of theplot of ground to be irrigated and serve as supporting means fordistributing pipes. Pipes 3 are connected by staples 3 or otherfastening means to the posts and serve to distribute the water. Branchpipes 4 have connection with the main lead pipes 3 and receive a. supplyof water therefrom; Struts or hangers 5 connect the several pipes withthe cables 2 and serve to support the pipes from the overhead cables.Short pipes 6 are pendent from the main and branch pipes and areprovided at their lower ends with spray nozzles 7. A cock 8 is locatedin the length of each of the pipes 6 to enable the water to be cut offfrom the spray nozzles or to be supplied thereto in regulated quantity.The main and branch pipes are so arranged as to supply water to everypart of the ground to be irrigated and the spray nozzles are so arrangedthat when the water is discharged therefrom every part of the field tobe irrigated is uniformly dampened! Cocks 9 are located near thereceiving ends of the lead pipes 3 to admit of shutting off orregulating the supply of water thereto.

The water for irrigating purposes may be obtained from a stream, well,creek, cistern, or lake and may be supplied under such a head as toinsure the supply passing to every partof the distributing pipes. It isto be understood that the water may be supplied by means of a ram, pump,or other appliance and as indicated a windmill 9 is had to utilize theforce of air currents, said windmill being conveniently positioned andarranged to operate a pump 10 which may draw the water from a well,creek, spring or other source of supply and force the same into a tank11 from which the water is led by means ofa pipe 12 to the distributingpipes 3 and 4.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is 2- Anirrigating system comprising longitudinal and transverse rows of postsset in the ground and inclosing the plot to be irrigated, mainlongitudinal and transverse cables attached to the upper ends of theposts, main outer longitudinal and trans: verse distributing pipesattached to the posts a short distance below the cables,

struts between the main cables and main distributing pipes, centrallongitudinal and transverse main distributing pipes connected with eachother and with said outer longitudinal and transverse main distributingpipes, other transverse cables connected with the longitudinal cables onlines between the posts, branch pipes having respective connection withthe outer longitudinal distributing pipes, other branch pipesrespecplying Water under pressure to the several tively connected Withthe central longitudipipes. 1.: nal, distributing pipe, strutsconnecting the In testimony whereof I afiix my signature branch pipeswith the second named transin presence of two Witnesses.

5 verse cables, short pipes pendent from the JOSEPH L. PRITCHARD.

main and branch pipes and having spray Witnesses: nozzles at their lowerends, cocks in the GEORGE A. Swiss, length of the short pipes, and meansfor sup- J. B. GREAT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

